CHINA FACTOIDSDid you know that...

The Wan brothers created the first Chinese animated film with sound in 1918. It was titled 'The Camel's Dance' (Luo tuo xian wu). Read more

A woman who took refuge in a tree after sudden flooding in East China was rescued with an excavator, according to dramatic footage published on Chinese social media today.

Video of the January 8 incident shows firefighters utilising the piece of heavy construction equipment after flood waters of the Manshuiqiao River left the woman named Zhou Chang stranded, reported Chinese media People.com.

Zhou was riding her electric bike to work last Monday morning in heavy rain when she decided to bypass a flooded bridge and use a shortcut. As she drove downhill, the rainfall increased and she lost sight of the road.

The brakes on her electric bike failed leaving her stuck at the side of the bridge. The river began to rapidly rise, so Zhou climbed into a nearby tree for safety. A passer-by then alerted police to her predicament.

After local firefighters arrived on the scene, they prepared to swim to her but realised that the water was flowing too fast for a safe rescue.

Rescuers then spotted an excavator parked nearby and decided to use its articulated arm to reach the stranded woman. An experienced firefighter swam to the tree with a life vest, helmet and safety rope, and then helped her climb on to the arm.

It took nearly two hours to rescue the cold and exhausted Zhou, who was sent home to recover.

In September 2016, police in Jiangsu Province also used an excavator to rescue a Chinese man after he had become stuck in mudflats 50 metres off the shore.

Asa Butcher
is a senior editor at gbtimes.com and has been writing about China since 2011.